Richard Foster pretty much covers all the basics in his book and more that aren’t found in Scripture.

Much of the book is based on the mystics like Madam Guyon, Jean Pierre de Caussade etc. I’ve read books by them and others and admire their spirituality but don’t find a lot of what they say and do based on principles and commands found in Scripture.

Foster seems to rely more on the experience of these saints of the past and his own experience than on Scripture.

When he does quote Scripture it’s often out of context. One example is in the chapter on Contemplative Prayer. He quotes Psalm 62:1, “For God alone my soul waits in silence;” which is referring to waiting not to prayer. In fact he even quotes other great saints of the past out of context.

In his section on Repenting on Behalf of Others he offers no Scripture and says, “…our repenting prayers on behalf of others somehow seems to make it easier, more possible for them to turn on their own. How this works I do not know.”

There are good tidbits and reminders in this book that one can benefit from. But given how highly touted this book is I was pretty disappointed and surprised at some of what was written.

Jeff, I’ve always wanted to read Richard Foster’s books but never had a chance yet. I’ve just finished: The Prayer that Heals by Francis MacNutt (more on healing). I’ve also read Breakthrough Prayer by Jim Cymbala (very inspiring). I know there are others but can’t recall.

I think you are mistaken with your interpretation of prayer. In referring to Psalm 62:1, contemplative prayer is absolutely waiting in silence for the Lord. Prayer is a two way street. Not just us talking but also waiting for God to speak to us, which is of course the most important part.

A much used scripture and a definite command is, “Be still and know that I am God”.

For your consideration, a quote by the Puritan Richard Sibbs from The Bruised Reed. Brackets were added by me. [Martin] Bucer [who influenced the development of Calvinism] was a deep and a moderate divine; upon long experience he resolved to refuse [reject] none [no one] in whom he saw aliquid Christi, something of Christ. [Even] […]

Help me to gain profit by what I read, as treasure beyond all treasure, a fountain which can replenish my dry heart, its waters flowing through me as a perennial river on-drawn by thy Holy Spirit. Enable me to distil from its pages faithful prayer that grasps the arm of thy omnipotence, achieves wonders, obtains […]

This is a repost from a little over a year ago. I’ve shortened one quote and added another by John Owen that I recently read. Providence is that continued exercise of the divine energy whereby the Creator upholds all his creatures, is operative in all that transpires in the world, and directs all things to […]

This is a repost from 2014: How does the Lord guide his people? Assuring us a Christian life with a beginning, a middle and an end, with the end being the tying up of all loose ends? It is an interesting fact that the apostles, in giving much doctrinal and practical guidance, never once (as […]

Repost from September 19, 2016: The fear of God has been one of my favorite subjects. Unfortunately, it’s very misunderstood. This may be partly because it isn’t mentioned much anymore, and many tend to understand the word fear as fright, and only fright. The fear of God is a very multi-faceted doctrine (teaching). It doesn’t […]

Of the Puritan books that I’ve read so far, what I would recommend as the first book for someone who’s interested in starting to read them would be All Things for Good, by Thomas Watson. This is an excellent exposition of Romans 8:28. In addition to being relatively short and easy to read, it’s representative […]

I just found that I’ve been blogging for over 10 years, although not very much lately. II thougt I would post some from the archives: 2 Corinthians 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger […]

Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. Psalm 73:25 KJV D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones describes how we aren’t any better than Old Testament Christians in his book Faith On Trial, a great exposition of Psalm 73. One often ﬁnds a tendency amongst Christian people to […]

May the matter of my prayer be always wise, humble, submissive, obedient, scriptural, Christ-like. Give me unwavering faith that supplications are never in vain, that if I seem not to obtain my petitions I shall have larger, richer answers, surpassing all that I ask or think. Unsought, thou hast given me the greatest gift, the […]